Showing ordinances that apply to University Center, VA
University Center is an unincorporated community (population 3,969) in Loudoun County, Virginia. Because University Center is not an incorporated city, it does not have its own municipal code. Instead, Loudoun County ordinances apply directly to properties here. The erosion control rules below are the ones that govern your area.
Loudoun County enforces the Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Law (VA Code §62.1-44.15:51) through Loudoun Ord. Ch. 1244. Any land disturbance of 10,000 sq ft or more requires an Erosion & Sediment Control (E&SC) permit; stricter 2,500 sq ft threshold inside Chesapeake Bay RPAs. Required BMPs: silt fence, sediment traps, stabilized construction entrances, soil stabilization. Certified Responsible Land Disturber (RLD) oversight required on-site. Violations carry daily fines up to $32,500.
Loudoun County is designated by Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ) as an Erosion and Sediment Control (ESC) program authority. Loudoun Codified Ordinances Chapter 1244 (Erosion and Sediment Control) implements the Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Law (VA Code §62.1-44.15:51). Threshold: any land-disturbing activity 10,000 sq ft or greater requires an approved ESC plan and permit before commencement; activity of 2,500 sq ft or more in a Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area RPA (Ord. Ch. 1220) also triggers ESC requirements. Standard BMPs per Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Handbook: silt fence along downslope perimeters, straw wattles, erosion control blankets on slopes, sediment traps/basins, stabilized construction entrances (VDOT #1 stone pad), catch basin inlet protection, temporary seeding within 14 days of disturbance, permanent stabilization within 7 days of final grading. A Certified Responsible Land Disturber (RLD) holding VDEQ certification must oversee the site. Loudoun Building & Development conducts inspections during construction. Sediment discharges into state waters (streams, Goose Creek, Broad Run, Potomac) violate VA Code §62.1-44.5 with penalties up to $32,500/day. Ashburn data center megaprojects involve massive earth-moving (50-100+ acre sites) and face intensive ESC compliance. Residential additions, small subdivisions, and infill projects trigger requirements more than homeowners expect. Agricultural land disturbance exempt per VA §62.1-44.15:55.
Missing ESC plan/permit (Ch. 1244): stop-work + $1,000-$32,500/day. Sediment discharge to waters (VA §62.1-44.5): $1,000-$32,500/day. Failure to stabilize: daily fines until corrected. Unlicensed land disturbing work: permit fee doubled.
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